


Someone Take Me Home

by GallagherHunter



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Bullying, Dead May Parker (Spider-Man), Everything up to Spider-Man: Homecoming happened, Gen, Hurt Peter Parker, I just can't have Peter be adopted by Tony unless she's dead, I let myself get carried away, I'm Sorry, I've never tagged in here in my life, I've tried, No one touches Tony's kid, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Whump, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Protective Tony Stark, Secret Santa, Spider-Man: Homecoming Compliant, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Does What He Wants, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark adopts Peter Parker, Whump, i killed aunt may i'm sorry, peter parker deserves a hug
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-23
Updated: 2019-12-23
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:33:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21912226
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GallagherHunter/pseuds/GallagherHunter
Summary: More than a month since May's death Peter is having a less than stellar day at school in the hopes of making it through the day so he can get to the apartment where he's been living with Tony since his world came crashing around him. Meanwhile, Tony has been advised to adopt Peter to assure him he won't leave him.
Relationships: Peter Parker & Tony Stark
Comments: 7
Kudos: 186
Collections: Grays fave Irondad fics, Iron Dad Secret Santa 2019





	Someone Take Me Home

**Author's Note:**

  * For [myyszka](https://archiveofourown.org/users/myyszka/gifts).



> This is for zuusiee for Irondad Secret Santa, I really hope you like it. I got carried away with it a little. Hopefully I fulfilled your wish. Merry Christmas to you and all your loved ones, hope you had a wonderful year.
> 
> Prompts: Protective Irondad and Peter gets adopted.
> 
> Sorry I had to kill Aunt May but I just can't have Peter be adopted by Tony if May is alive, she's just the best for Peter. Also, I've never been to New York so everything is based off of google maps and Marvel's Spider-Man videogame.

Protect: “Keep safe from harm or injury.”

* * *

Peter’s morning went the way it usually goes, for the most part. He’d woken up before his alarm, it was an occasional occurrence. The first days at the new apartment had been almost the same as at the Compound; waking up late, not wanting to wake up at all, waking up in the middle of the night and not going back to sleep, weeks later and he’d begun to wake up by the sound of his alarm. The routine had helped a lot, helping him get up and dressed, eat breakfast, go to school and do something besides lie on his bed and cry. Things had gotten way better after he accepted to go see a therapist, they weren’t great by any means but one day they would be, just like when his parents died, and Ben. One day it wouldn’t hurt so much. But on rare occasions, he would wake up before his alarm would sound and he’d sit there and think. Today wasn’t a day like that. Something pushed him to get up and start the day.

It was way too early for him to begin his morning routine, his alarm wouldn’t sound for another hour. The feeling wouldn’t leave him though, so he entered the shower. By now Peter had set up a few settings for it, some were to try out what the heck the setting meant, others when Tony had told him so that he could occupy his mind, and the one that was actually for showering. As soon as he entered the shower FRIDAY would activate his default setting.

After showering Peter dries himself and drapes a towel around his hips. Exiting the bathroom he heads to the walk-in-closet, it's big and filled with so much stuff he hasn’t worn half the things inside. He decides to wear clothes from before… before everything went wrong. Some days he feels better and wears some of the new stuff Tony bought for him. Today isn’t one of those days though, it’s not bad but the feeling that woke him up is still there, lingering.

Changed in jeans, a science pun shirt and sweater he steps out. Going to the side table by his bed where his phone is at to check the notifications. There’s a digital clock next to the Starkphone that reads 6:55 A.M.. Peter grabs his phone before he looks at the clock again. He wasn’t in the bathroom for forty minutes, at least he thinks. It didn’t feel like it. Shaking his head to clear it he checks his phone to see no new notification besides from the twitter SpideyWatch, that he still couldn’t bring himself to see.

“Hey, Karen?” Peter whispers.

“Yes, Peter?”

“... nothing. Just tell me if something really bad happens in Queens.” Peter decides, it’s the same request he has for her every time. Tony thought it would be good for him to be able to talk to Karen outside the suit. He hadn’t used the suit and the billionaire knew the kid missed talking to the A.I.. Sometimes Peter talks to her like old times, others she’s just his personal phone A.I..

“Of course, Peter.” Karen responds. Her voice is as gentle as always, and maybe Peter is looking too much into it but it just sounded like she wished the conversation didn’t end there.

Putting his phone in his pocket he grabs his backpack and gets out of the room. It wasn’t too early to eat something anymore. He walks up the corridor and into the kitchen. He drops his backpack on a chair to get a bowl and cereal from the pantry. It’s the easiest breakfast he can make, doesn’t need any heating, and he really doesn’t want to try and cook again any time soon after last Friday when he almost burned the kitchen down.

Tony probably went to sleep four hours ago. There’s a room in the apartment to act as the lab, it’s not in any way like the Compound's but it does for now. That is where Tony was the whole night. Peter had been in there too before Tony sent him to bed, not that he sleep that much. Another room has an office but Tony rarely uses it. Tony said the apartment was temporary until they found something that worked better for them.

Again the gnawing feeling creeps up on him. He doesn’t know what it is, it certainly isn’t his spider sense. Before Peter is completely done with his cereal FRIDAY speaks up.

“Mr. Hogan has arrived, Peter. He’s waiting for you downstairs.”

It startles Peter. He checks his phone and it shows that it is in fact 7:26. He must have been thinking too hard about the feeling. Happy is actually a little early today, but he quickly finishes his cereal and sets it on the sink. He grabs his backpack, a jacket and heads towards the door.

“Thanks, FRIDAY.”

Peter vaguely thinks that he didn’t hear her greet him good morning when he woke up. Something she’s been doing every day since his first night here.

He closes the door behind him, not locking it. FRIDAY will do it. They live at the penthouse and as soon as he steps out the elevators are in front of him. The one to the right is private for the penthouse, he doesn’t know if Tony did it or it’s part of living in the penthouse but he knows no one else besides them use it. Getting into it he descends to the garage.

Happy is there waiting for him, the car on. He climbs into the back seat, greeting Happy. Once or twice he’s ridden in the co-pilot seat but again, its on certain occasions. The ride to school is quiet and feels eternal. Happy doesn’t say anything after he returned his greeting and Peter doesn’t either.

When they make it to his school Happy stops the car in the front steps. Looking at Peter through the rearview mirror, he squints at him. Before Happy could comment Peter had already opened the door and was halfway through.

“I’ll take the subway home. Thanks, Happy.” Peter says offhandedly.

Peter had begun to take the subway to the house, one time he’d been able to take it to school before Tony caught him. It wasn’t something he did often anymore, partly because Tony didn’t want to leave him to go alone and partly because Peter didn’t feel too keen on doing it. But whenever he wanted they'd begun to let him take the subway home.

Peter pushes the door closed behind him. He stood there for a second looking around, his spider sense told him to be on the lookout but not that there is danger outright. He hadn’t gone a day without feeling like this whenever he wasn’t with Tony, Ned or Happy. Even Rhodey made him feel more at ease. He began to walk.

Two or three people glanced his way but other than that no one paid any attention to the boy going up the steps, not like there was that many anyways. The first day back that Tony had dropped him off, even offered to accompany him inside even if a little reluctantly, everyone had looked at the car in wonder and awe. It wasn’t every day someone was dropped off in an Audi. The impressive design of the car deserving of a dignitary wasn’t helping either.

When he’d finally convinced Tony that he was alright to go to class and that he didn’t need to go with him, Peter had gotten out of the back door and closed it before anyone could see Tony next to the spot he’d just vacated. Everyone had stared at him, they weren’t even trying to hide it. Peter had lowered his head a little and just gone up the steps, no one knew who he was and no one really cared beyond who the kid who’d gotten out of the expensive car was.

Rumors had started that a prince from an eastern nation had come to study abroad, others talked about him being under witness protection, the secret bastard of a politician, and even the heir to a multinational corporation. The stories were distorted, the rumors became more convoluted, then it became old news. No one ever solved the mystery.

Walking up the stairs the sense of alertness didn’t go away per se, but it certainly changed to something more offhanded, went to the back of his mind. At this point Peter wasn’t sure if it was still the stress of grief like in those first days when he couldn’t tell up from down, or danger from safety, plain exhaustion or actual danger. He always took caution when he first felt it, and as time went by lowered his guard.

By the time he reached his locker it was just a buzz in his bones, never letting him relax. He put his backpack in and got his books out, almost on autopilot. He heard Ned before he reached him, and the buzz finally allowed him to relax.

“Hey, Peter. My mom and dad are going to a party at dad’s job this Friday so it’ll just be the two of us, which means we can make so much noise and eat until we die of so much food we ate.” Ned began to ramble as Peter closed his locker. “I was thinking this time we watch them in order of release. I think some of the spaceships got cooler.”

When Peter looked at Ned but didn’t answer his friend frowned.

“You did ask permission to stay at my house this weekend right?”

Peter had totally not forgotten to do that, it was just that he’d finally been able to don the mask for a few minutes before tearing it from his face. It was slowly getting to the point where he could finally put it on and maybe go out and help others, stop blaming himself for May’s death. It wasn’t Spider-Man’s fault, or so Tony told him all the time, it wasn’t Peter’s either. He was so sure if he could put on the suit and go out he would be able to forgive himself for what had happened, at least that’s what he kept telling himself. Part of him pushed himself to do it, even when Tony told him to take it slow. Tony would probably encourage Peter going to spend time with Ned, he hadn’t gone out of the house much.

“I didn’t forget-” Peter tried to defend.

“Peter.” Ned exasperated.

“I was just really busy. Tony will probably say yes anyway, he wants me to go out more.”

The conversation ends with Ned accepting Peter will ask him today and they head to class. Peter and Ned sit close to the back of the class. Peter isn’t paying much attention. Suddenly the feeling from earlier comes back. The buzz came back even with Ned nearby. Again, it wasn’t danger, it was telling him to be wary of his surroundings. Peter really couldn’t wait for winter break to come so he could reset his spider-sense.

Towards the end of the class, Peter sees a girl handing out cookies. He smiles at her in thanks and grabs the one she leaves on his desk on a napkin. It faintly smells of peppermint. Guess it’s finally the holiday season of gifting cookies. He was feeling kinda hungry anyways. If this was how the rest of the week would go then being a week and a half away from break wouldn’t be as hard.

* * *

Tony was standing a little too straight, his shoulders far too rigid, hands tightly clasped in front of him. He was standing outside a meeting room in the New York offices of Stark Industries. When the Avengers took central stage at the Tower they started moving SI offices to a place more apt for it. A collection of buildings on the edge of Bronx, a vast expanse constituting Stark Industries, from R&D to PR and administration.

Pepper had called him over telling him the lawyers were almost done with the adoption process. As soon as they had everything revised and registered it would be legal. Pepper had indicated the meeting room they were in but Tony hadn’t been able to go in. FRIDAY had informed her that he was outside, but she hadn’t pressured him in entering, she understood how nervous he was. It wasn’t every day you got a son.

He had been standing outside those doors for almost half an hour already, not moving an inch, even less be able to enter the room. He wasn’t scared, but part of this felt like one of those dreams he had when he was a child and good things were happening. His father was praising him as he played the piano and his mother sang. Dreams that would vanish come morning and leave a hollow feeling in his chest. This felt like it, and even if it was irrational, he couldn’t help but fear that walking through those doors, or even just touching them would wake him up.

Luckily for him, he didn’t need to. Because Pepper came out as her glorious self with a set of documents in a folder, one laid on top of it. The door closed behind her and she took two steps to stand in front of him.

“It’s official. You now legally have a son.” Pepper smiles at him. Looking down at the documents and continuing to speak. “At of all your coping mechanisms, adopting a fifteen-year-old superhero has to be the most unexpected.”

Pepper looks up then and extends the documents to him.

“Probably the most healthy out of them too.” Comes Tony's response, losing some of his rigid posture as he grabs them slowly. His previous hesitation replaced, there’s something resembling a giddy feeling spreading through him, but only resembling, Tony Stark does not feel _giddy_. He smiles and it stretches as he reads the paper laid on top, an adoption certificate with the name Peter Benjamin Parker standing out from anything else.

“Oh, I gotta go tell Peter.” It’s barely a whisper.

Tony looks up and remembers Pepper’s there. The warmth starting in his chest seems just like when he was a child and Maria used to play the piano and sing for him, those were real, unlike the dreams. Pepper smiles at him, the warmth just spreads. 

Suddenly he remembers.

“Oh and about-” He begins but never finishes, Pepper interjects first.

“There’s no hurry. I think you’ll have quite a handful and a celebration. Just don’t forget to invite to the party.” The soft smile becoming more of a smirk.

Tony kisses her cheek quickly and with another smile he way walks down the hall, almost speed walking.

Pepper sees him leave and weighs to tell him that Peter is still in school and won’t actually be home for Tony to announce the news, but decides against it, he’ll find out soon enough. 

Tony was revising the rest of the documents on the ride to the Stark Industries garage. Part of him wasn’t really convinced this was real, well no, the past month had all felt real. Too real. The tears, the late nights, the nightmares, the screams from the kid's room, those had been real, and far too close to home. They weren’t gone by any means, but Peter was doing so much better. Tony gripped the papers tighter. The call that night and the broken sobs from Peter still haunted him. He had thought then that it had better been an emergency, and right after, he had wished it had been a prank call, anything but the wrecking cries of the lost boy.

The elevator doors opened and Tony was transported back to the present. It was a good thing these documents weren’t the only copies because Tony had almost ripped them with the force of his hands.

Tony and Peter had gone to a therapy session like the lady from Social Services had suggested, but it had taken weeks to actually do it. On one side because Tony finally admitted to himself to be completely out of his depth in getting Peter to talk more about it instead of just comforting him, at least as much as he could. On the other, because Peter didn’t want to, he hadn’t when his parents died, nor Ben, he could do this. After both finally accepting, and a lot of persuasion from Pepper and Rhodey, they had one session that would decide if they kept coming back. That there would be the utmost secrecy and some NDA’s had to be signed went without saying.

It hadn’t gone as bad, she’d talked to them both, then only Peter, only Tony, and at the end both again. The therapist had gotten Peter to talk about his fears and assuring him that it was okay to be afraid, it was completely normal in his circumstance. Or so she had told Tony. She’d also informed him that what Peter needed was reassurance, that things would be okay, that Tony wasn’t leaving him. Tony had asked if she could tell him what Peter was afraid of, she had disclosed that she couldn’t but assured him not to worry, Peter would tell him on his own soon. 

They had left both a little lighter, and the strain their relationship had taken was healing now. She had convinced Peter to come back to more sessions, that this time it was different because everyone he had known his entire life was gone; promised it would only be until he could freely speak about his fears to Tony, then it would be up to him if he wished to continue. An appointment was scheduled for two weeks, Peter felt good about the date.

Tony had sent a message to Pepper that day telling her to contact his lawyers, he was adopting the kid.

Tony and Peter had gone to celebrate this great step, specially for Peter. They’d gone to get some burgers nearby and eventually Peter had confessed that he feared he was cursed, he’d been the reason every member of his family had died and now he would be the reason Tony died.

Tony finally understood what the therapist had told him. It wasn’t that Peter was afraid Tony would stop taking care of him, not that it wasn't part of it, but that he would die and it would be his fault, as if he was a bad omen. There was nothing that Tony could do but reassure Peter that it wasn’t true, it wasn’t his fault and he wasn’t cursed. Declaring that if he died it wouldn’t be because Peter was cursed, and besides, Iron Man was pretty hard to kill.

Reaching his car Tony unlocked his car and entered through the driver’s side. He set the papers on the opposite seat which by now was Peter’s designated spot. Closing the door and taking a deep breath he grabbed the adoption certificate again. Tony had made them rush through it, by any means necessary. This was to assure Peter, it wasn’t an ‘I won’t die’ promise, but he knew it would bring some peace to Peter’s mind. It would leave no remaining doubt in Peter that Tony wanted him, he was legally his son. Tony wasn’t that good telling the kid how much he meant to him, but he could show him. No one had forced Tony into doing this, it was his choice. Maybe a little too soon for the situation if he’s honest with himself but he couldn’t stand not doing anything to reassure Peter. That was what he needed, and that’s what he would give him.

He would help him however he could.

Tony set the certificate down again and started the car. Getting out of the SI New York offices parking lot and into the busy streets.

Tony couldn't admit it because _emotions_ , but Peter had helped him a lot. Since the moment he popped up in his radar as a vigilante with a spider symbol on a red hoodie who was helping out in Queens. It kept him busy, first analyzing the footage of him stopping a car with his bare hands. That car had to be almost two tons at 90 miles. More impressive was the _kid_ under the mask. A true prodigy, a fourteen-year-old with a 4.0 GPA at Midtown School of Science and Technology.

Then as a distraction and a long term plan. It was just on a whim that he started on the suit. He had awoken from a nightmare of space, an invasion, of not being enough, never doing enough. He had stumbled onto his lab, trying to calm his racing heart. If he started working on a new upgrade he was doing more to prevent the inevitable. The file had been open on his holoscreen when he activated them, a picture of Peter Benjamin Parker with his school and medical records, birth certificate, news and posts regarding sightings and actions done by the Spider, records of his parents' and uncle’s death, some records of his only living relative May Parker. He thought maybe he should invest in the future of superheroes.

Calming his nightmare became a project he had an idea for, then another idea, then another, and just spiraled from there. It was a distraction. It made him feel better, because if he could keep this kid safe while he did small deeds, he could one day become the future of the Avengers. There needed to be Avengers to fight the threat from space, the whole Ultron fiasco proved he couldn’t build an armor around the world.

Every nightmare brought him to the suit. He thought of everything. All the upgrades he had on his suits, more flexible, more agile. It needed a heater, wouldn’t want him freezing to death. Of course a tracker, always be able to find him even in the worst of situations. He poured so much into protecting the future. He hadn’t even met the kid but all he’d researched about him showed even when life brought him down he kept going.

When Pepper asked for a break it wasn’t only taming his nightmares but distracting him from the loneliness.

Then Lagos happened, the Sokovia Accords, Rogers going rogue. He need help, he needed numbers. He just needed to contain them, get them back so they could talk. And the kid was perfect for that. It wouldn’t put him in harm’s way, he would just web them up and keep a check on the perimeter, perfect for his abilities. And it wasn’t going to escalate anyways, it was just an argument among friends, he would be fine.

He was a little apprehensive of meeting the kid, he’s actions spoke of a hero, but so had Rogers and now he had to bring him back just to _listen_. He didn’t know how the kid actually was. So when he met him and heard the reason he puts on his onesie and goes out to the streets is because if he doesn’t then it’s fault, Tony couldn’t help but see a little of himself in the kid. And then he knew the Avengers would be in good hands, the future was in good hands. Only he would have wanted to bring him into the world of superheroes under a different circumstance. Beggars can’t be choosers.

The kid was doing alright for his first rodeo. Keeping a little distance and engaging when necessary. Could do with a little less quips but he wasn’t bad at them for the most part. Things turned South and then it was a real fight. He was too preoccupied with the giant man, and quite honestly, the kid had been doing good on his own for the most part when it went from bad to worse. First thing that happened was the kid got knocked out of the sky and sent crashing to some crates, hard. All Tony could think was _no_. He thought the worst, the kid was unconscious, injured. He never should have brought him. This was on him. Darn Rogers, it wasn’t supposed to get to this.

He went straight towards him, the kid was laid on the tarmac without moving. Tony was a little scared to move him, but he pushed through and went to shake him a little. The kid reacted, he was alive. Tony released a breath he hadn’t known he was holding. The kid was alright, he was benched and now Tony would go for the reason to bring the kid in the first place. Rogers.

After Siberia Tony still had to take Peter home. And part of him was grateful for the responsibility. It meant he didn’t have to think about what had happened for now. He could keep pushing that aside, Rhodey’s condition, the bunker, Barnes, Rogers. He dropped him off, told him to keep the suit and to keep up the good work, someone would call him. Not anytime soon hopefully, wouldn’t want a repeat of the airport again.

From that moment on, he kept up with the kid. Listened to all his voicemails, kept track of the suit, on rare occasions watched the Baby Monitor, see how he was doing in Queens and all that. He’s not sure when his responsibility became hope. That all those UN and Accords meetings had a purpose, when Peter had enough experience and age to be an Avenger, he wanted them to be ready.

He will admit that taking the suit was rash, but he didn’t know how else to get it across the kid that he had messed up. Clearly telling him to stay out of it wasn’t working. He wasn’t gonna have the kid’s death on him, he was done getting innocents killed. So he took the suit, it’s not that he lost faith in him, but kept seeing rash actions and not thought out ones, Tony didn’t want him to turn into himself. He wanted him to be better than him. That's why he'd been working on and Iron suit for him.

He will admit that everything he was doing with the kid made him realize all he made Pepper go through. That brought with it a dinner and an apology, taking a turn for the better in their relationship.

And then Homecoming.

The kid had done it, proven himself. He was ready. Tony had been wrong. And the kid went and shocked him yet again by declining his offer. The friendly neighborhood Spider-Man was back keeping the streets of Queens safe. Which brought lab days, and weekends at the Compound, dinners at the Parker’s, trips. An involvement in Peter’s life Tony never would have guessed months ago when he popped up on the radar. Helping Tony so much, making him more responsible, leaving the lab more often, providing strength for the meetings about the Accords, finally understanding so as to fix things with Pepper, giving him resilience. Helping him so much more than he would ever admit.

A therapy.

An investment.

A distraction.

A hand.

A responsibility.

A beacon of hope.

A light guiding him home.

A part of home himself.

Tony had much to thank Peter for. And Tony would never leave him, least of all when Peter needed him the most.

* * *

Peter's second period had gone fine. It wasn’t like he was that interested in what some old guy had done hundreds of years ago to help literature right now. And third period was when the buzz came back with a vengeance. It was hard to breathe at times, once he thinks he had blacked out but it was just him blinking. He felt weird sporadically too, not been able to breathe well every so often. If he could only make it to lunch maybe he just needed to eat something. Clearly some cereal and a cookie hadn’t been enough.

He was begging the hand in the clock to move faster when he heard Flash speak up, rather loudly. How come he hasn’t heard anyone talk besides Flash?

“Look at Parker. He looks like he’s about to pass out. Maybe he should. Someone should come pick him up before he does and leaves the school reeking of death.”

Well, Peter doesn’t think he’s _dying_ but he isn’t feeling too good. The comment does make Ned jump, literally, from his seat. He calls out for the teacher and asks to take Peter to the nurse. The teacher sees Peter and allows Ned to take him. Ned grabs Peter’s backpack with one hand and leads Peter out of the classroom with the other. _Well that happened so much faster than the hand in the clock moving_. At least Peter thinks so.

Peter puts on the earplugs Tony had design for his sensory overloads, it didn’t quite feel the same but they helped a lot. He wasn’t sure what was going on with him, his spidey sense flared up almost every ten minutes, now he was sure of that. So maybe he _had_ been dying in there?

Ned lead the way to the nurse’s office. Peter was half-listening half zooming out of existence. This was definitely a first, not even before the bite had he ever felt like this. Was this a result of his Spider powers?

When they reached the office, he saw Ned knock twice before opening the door and leading him inside. The earplugs Tony had given him were definitely helping him block most of the sounds and he could only hear some of the loudest, but they were splitting his head open at random spurts. Now that he was in the room he lowered their level so he could hear the nurse.

“Oh, yes, help him sit on the bed. Name?”

He heard Ned respond to her question.

“Peter Parker.”

Peter was too concentrated in trying to sit down. Ned left shortly after that, telling Peter to go home and get better. The nurse checked him over in under a minute. She gave Peter a juice and a pill then proceeded to take a sit in front of the computer in the room. Peter drank the juice and swallowed the medicine.

“Alright Peter, I have to call your parents now.”

Peter jerked a little at the statement. The nurse was new, he hadn’t seen her before, and he’d been here before, more often before the bite. They even had a spare inhaler for him. He wonders if it’s still here somewhere, collecting dust. It was getting a little harder to breathe.

“I think I can survive until the end of the day.” Peter almost pleads, it’s not that bad. It started after first period and it would probably disappear after lunch.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea Peter. Let me just call for someone to come pick you up.”

Peter didn’t respond to that because he almost doubled over from nausea. Closing his eyes and breathing in deep, at least trying to.

He could hear the nurse typing on the computer. Probably looking up his contact information. A thought occurred to Peter then. May was still the main emergency contact. No one had changed that. They would dial the number and no one would answer. It just made Peter feel worse. 

The nurse dialed the number. Peter couldn’t hear it, thank god, but the nurse remained silent. Eventually, she hangs up, clearly sent to voicemail, May’s voicemail. Peter went from worse to horrible when that happened. 

“Mmmm, no one answered. I’ll try again.” Commented the nurse. But Peter couldn’t take it. May’s death was still too close, he couldn’t take hearing the phone ring and no one going to pick it up. His sensory overloads would hurt less.

“No one will answer.” He croaked out. Peter never thought he’d be in this position, now they had to change the contacts in case this happened again.

“Alright. If they’re busy there’s another contact, it doesn’t have a name but it says it’s for emergencies. Which seems redundant when they’re already in the emergency contact information.” She muses to Peter.

Peter might have chuckled on any other occasion, but the circumstances were too grave. The nurse dialed again, it was probably Happy’s number, hopefully it wouldn’t be too much because he was seriously considering going home. The nurse called into the phone as soon as someone answered, Peter thought that was fast for Happy, it seemed like it hadn’t even started the second ring. Peter opened one eye to see.

“Oh, hello? I’m Belinda, a nurse at Midtown High, um, this is regarding Peter Parker.” There was a pause from Belinda, presumably as Happy answered, then she startled before hurriedly responding. “Oh, no, it’s nothing grave. He’s okay. Well, not really, he’s sick, can’t seem to breathe well at times and he’s temperature is rising. I gave him something to calm the symptoms but it would be better if you came pick him up.”

A brief pause.

“Great, he’ll be here. Nurse’s office. Pass by the main entrance to register and then two hallways down, right and the third door on the left. Perfect.” Belinda hung up then turned to Peter with a smile.

“Great news, your dad will come pick you up.”

Peter felt a pang of hurt. Reminding himself it wasn’t the nurse’s fault, she didn’t know.

“He’s not my dad.” Whispers Peter gravelly. It makes Belinda startle, she seemed to be easily startled.

“Oh, I thought...” But she never finishes her thought because Peter does double over in pain. The nurse hurries over to him. But just as soon as it came, it went away. “Oh god, are you okay? What hurts?”

“Just, my stomach, a little.” Peter whispers. The nurse looks him up and down.

“When was the last time you ate something?”

“First period?” It’s more a question than an answer. She makes a face in judgment. Looks at the clock then back at him.

“You need to eat something. I’ll go get you something from the cafeteria.”

Peter perks up at that, he feels a lot better now. It really is coming and going this weird feeling. He wants to walk a little, maybe even find Ned and tell him he’s going home. He’s too caught up in the moment to notice what he’s said, realize what the word implies. He instead asks.

“Can I go to the cafeteria?” Hope laces his voice, stronger than it has been since first period ended. But Belinda just shakes her head a little.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

But Peter continues, he really wants to get out for a little bit, grab his books from his locker before Happy comes, he’ll probably shove him out the door as soon as he sees him.

“Come on, I just want to stretch my legs a little. I’ll come and eat it here.” He insists. He can see Belinda thinking, weighing her options. She turns to the clock again, her front crumbling. Turning to Peter she agrees.

“Mmmm, alright. You guardian said he’d be here in about 15 minutes, making that more like 30 or 40, so I suppose that gives you enough time to go get lunch, even eat it there. If you’re not back in half an hour I’m coming to get you. Deal?”

Peter nodded and smiled. Belinda smiled back and nodded towards the door. Peter didn’t have to be told twice. As soon as he’s through the door the thought that she’s younger than the other nurse hits him, huh. Maybe that’s why it had been so easy to convince her.

He walks to the cafeteria first. Getting something to eat is priority number one. The line isn’t slow at all and he gets his tray. Looking around he spots Ned in their usual table. Ned yelps when he sees Peter reaching him.

“Peter! You feeling better? Did the nurse let you go back to class? I thought she said she would send you home?”

Peter sat down in front of him before responding.

“Oh, no. I’m going home. Happy will come pick me up. She let me come get something to eat first though.”

“Well, that’s good. Nothing serious then.” Ned tries.

“Not that she told me. I’m gonna get my physic's notebook from my locker before I leave though, need to work on the project.” Peter comments while picking at his food. He’s eating little bits but now that he’s here he's not that hungry anymore. Maybe he never was.

“I’ll go with you.”

After eating some more food they leave the cafeteria and head to Peter’s locker. The awareness comes back and makes Peter even more alert than ever, and his stomach makes a flip too. Not feeling too well Peter bends a little forward. Something hits him and shoves him towards the floor.

“Hey watch it.” A voice snarls at him.

Peter lands on his arm and it _hurts_ . His arm feels like it’s made of glass. It drives his senses up his spine, sending red flags all around his body. This is definitely not right, something is _wrong_. On the bright side, he thinks, his stomach no longer feels bad. Or maybe his arm just feels worse. His ears sense the vibrations of Ned’s frantic voice but he doesn’t hear it.

Instead of getting up, he moves his head to look at the guy who pushed him. He doesn’t think he ran into the guy, the guy ran into him. The guy had short dark blonde hair, he’s tall and looks to be a senior, but Peter’s never seen him before. Their eyes meet and Peter sees a turmoil in them, anger. Peter turns away and shakes his head a little, trying to clear it from his senses screaming at him.

Ned is beside him then. He grabs Peter by the arm and helps him sit up.

“Are you okay, Pet-”

“What? You think I’m not worth it?” Interrupts the guy. “You think you’re all great?”

He shoves Ned away to haul Peter by the shoulders and then smack him against the lockers behind him. Peter feels the same pain again spreading throughout his back. This definitely took a turn for the worst. He had never been assaulted at school before, Flash always made jabs at him but that’s it.

Ned was scrambling to get up trying to reach for Peter. But another guy came and pushed him down. _Of course they’re never alone._ This is just great.

“Leave him.” Peter tells the guy holding him.

“Or what?” He challenges Peter. He clenches his fists but it barely registers to Peter.

Honestly, he’s not sure he would have been able to do something before the bite if this had happened, probably be beaten up just so that they would leave Ned alone. And now that he had powers he couldn’t do it because he could hurt the guy. And because he was just plain Peter Parker.

“Schrodinger’s cat got and not got your tongue?” The guy jabs.

“Leave him alone.” Ned screams at him from the floor, where the one who pushed him is holding him down. The guy holding Peter snaps his head Ned’s way and barks out.

“You stay out of this, fatty.”

“Leave him alone.” Peter demands this time. The guy looks to him again.

“Oh really? And what are you gonna do? Call to mommy to get you out of this?” The guy mocks. Peter can see the third guy behind this one now.

It sends a dagger through Peter’s heart and he tenses. It hurts so bad because the first thought that came to him was May, not his mother. Because May had been like his mother for a decade, she raised him. And then the knife twisted because she was gone and he would never get to see her again.

“Oh, you gonna cry now?” The guy makes the word cry longer, him and his buddy’s laughing.

Something in Peter snaps, he sees red now. His senses are on hyper aware but not in a danger way, in instinct, a manual to what moves make at what time, precise execution. Peter shoves the guy away, pushing him on the chest with so much strength he takes the guy behind him and they fall like dominoes at least three meters away from him.

Both of them are in complete shock on the floor but Peter is just glaring at the blonde, his breathing labored but no longer from having trouble breathing. His fists are so clenched, his knuckles turning white. Peter wants the guy to get up, to make a move, to try and hit him just so that he can hit him back.

And to his delight, the wish is granted.

The guy gets up, taking himself out of his stupor. He returns the glare to Peter. The guy rushes to Peter and tries to connect his fist with Peter’s face. Peter moves and before he knows it he puts his foot forward making the guy trip. The guy’s friend goes for Peter and he just evades him, the guy ends up punching the lockers. The third guy releases Ned and goes for a jab which Peter easily dodges, sending him towards two people. Huh, when did those get here? There a few people around, almost in a circle around them.

“Peter!” He hears the frantic voice of Ned. But Peter isn’t listening.

Maybe this was the outlet the therapist had been talking about. That he still needed to allow himself to grief “completely”, find a way to understand or let the frustration out. Otherwise, he would find an outlet that wasn’t good for anyone. Peter thinks it just isn’t good for whoever’s on the receiving end. And Peter is about to be the one giving.

But then things turn south. Call it his Parker luck or just plain karma for deciding to fight someone who he could knock out with one hit, after all, a superhero shouldn’t go and get in fights with civilians, even less students.

Peter doubles over in pain so fast it almost causes him whiplash. His stomach is doing somersaults and he can feel his breakfast and lunch coming up his esophagus. This is not good at all. To make things worse Peter gets a kick to his stomach, well it hit more his arms that were covering it, and then a punch to the face. It sends him staggering towards the lockers. It _hurts._

This shouldn’t be possible is the only thing that manages to pass through Peter’s mind. It shouldn’t hurt this bad. This feels like agony. The most prominent was the sting on his cheek.

He feels bodies retrieving and looks up. Blond guy’s friends have taken a few steps back, while blond himself takes only one step back, a smirk on his face.

Peter tries to breathe in. Stop the food in his stomach from coming out of where it came from. Grasp at the lockers to steady himself, at least he’s still on his feet. All the previous rage seems to have just vanished, like it wasn’t ever there. The sting on his cheek grounded him though.

He stood up a little straighter, still relying on the lockers to take some of his weigh. The blond guy looked ready to shove him again, taking a slow step forward with his hands raised.

“HEY!” Came a furious shout from the end of the hall.

Everyone around him jumped, Ned startled, blond guy and his friends tensed and whipped their heads towards the sound. But Peter just froze, he knows that voice.

Peter doesn’t know what made him think the fury was directed at him, part of him thinks it’s because he’s heard directed at him before, but he just assumes it's his fault. He’s done it now, and the fear creeps up at him, the anxiety that he’s so angry he doesn’t want him anymore. A part of him is just in disbelief. He never thought he would ever hear that voice echoing through the halls of his school, ever.

His senses however, were telling him the complete opposite. They tell him he's safe, it’s over, you can lower your guard and go home. Someone else will take care of the problem. So Peter lets a sigh leave his mouth. His shoulders drop with his head and he finally relaxes his limbs. He almost drops down to the floor but manages to keep himself upright, though it does take him leaning with his back against the lockers.

Peter finally hears everything around him again, not noticing until this moment that he wasn’t hearing anything that wasn’t shouted at him. There are gasps all around him and he can see how the three guys in front of him go completely still. Ned is gaping behind them, looking between the source of the voice and Peter. Back and forth.

At this point, you could hear a pin drop and you didn’t have to be Spider-Man for it.

Peter turns his head to the left, and there, striding towards them in a three-piece suit worth more than all the kids' clothing combined and sunglasses on his face is the unmistakable form of Tony Stark. Iron Man is in their school.

Tony doesn’t stop moving towards them, he actually seems to be moving faster. Behind him, Peter noticed the nurse trying to keep up with him, and in front of her almost in stride by Tony’s left was principal Morita. They cut such an imposing scene.

Peter inspected Tony’s face, the man’s expression was tight. Peter wasn’t sure what was going through his mind, and he’d gotten sort of good at reading him. Right now, however, all Peter could tell was that whatever he was thinking it wasn’t pleasant. But anyone could tell that.

The three reach them and stop a few steps away. Tony looks at Peter, and behind those sunglasses, their eyes meet. Still, Peter can’t tell what he’s thinking. Tony inspects Peter and then turn slowly to the blond guy, who has lowered his arms. Tony takes slow, deliberate steps towards him. Peter no longer feels in school, this feels like a wildlife documentary where the predator is circling its prey. Tony stops a half a meter from the guy, seeming so much taller than him. The guy shrinks making him even smaller.

It feels like an eternity happens where no one even breaths. But it must not have been, and Peter is just imagining because Principal Morita opens his mouth to speak when Tony beats him to it. But the whisper sounds booming in the silence. And it’s not kind at all.

“What do you think you were doing?”

Principal Morita stands at attention of the billionaire. Although no news about the way he used to act are around much anymore, Principal Morita knows of the way he used to be described as impulsive ten years ago. He hasn’t had much interaction with him but he felt the shift when they rounded the corner and saw the situation, he needed to be wary, diffuse the situation as soon as possible. It hadn’t been a good sight when they saw the fuss.

“...Sir?” Is the shaky response, he sounds like a kid. Tony sniffs.

“I thought this school was for geniuses. Are you not capable of understanding a simple question?” He’s no longer whispering, it almost a shout. Peter can see Tony trying to restrain himself. Tony takes a deep breath.

The kid can’t seem to find his voice. He opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out. His shock has gone from being driven by awe to being driven by fear. Iron Man’s bad mood was directed at him.

The outburst seems to wake up Principal Morita. He tells the nurse to help him usher the rest of the kids away. Morita keeps an eye on Tony and the kid at all times. He has to move this out of here, to his office where it's more private. Almost all the kids are out of the hall by now. He looks at Peter and notices the way he’s barely keeping himself up. Morita turns to the nurse and tells her silently to check up on Peter. Then turns to the students that remain. He sighs, this can’t be good.

“Jason. What happened here?”

Jason turns to him as Tony snaps his head in the same direction, almost in disbelief.

“You’re asking _him_ first?”

The principal looks at him with a meaningful look, trying to convey his authority to the genius. He will decide how this situation goes, they’re his students. Steps closer to Jason in a way that begins to put more space between Mr. Stark and Jason.

“Yes, Mr. Stark.” Principal Morita answers him. He turns to the boy. “Jason?”

The kid looks ready to shit himself as both adults look at him, expectantly. Jason again opens his mouth and not an understandable sound comes out. Tony looks the kid up and down, scrutinizing him. He doesn’t wait more time.

“You better have a rich parent because you’re life is about to get ruined.” Snarled Tony.

“Mr. Stark.” Principal Morita warns, putting an arm in front of Mr. Stark’s chest. The man looks ready to punch the kid, and he can’t let him keep on threatening him. Mr. Stark takes a step back, takes his glasses off and uses then to indicate. Morita would prefer him with them on, the eyes are sending daggers at him and his voice is fire.

“Right. Let’s just stick with the evidence, shall we? Don’t need him to confess right now, have a right to remain silent and all that right?” Tony had a smile on his face but there is no warmth behind it, it was the smile of a predator. Tony takes two steps to Peter, where the nurse helped him up and was looking at his face.

Tony grabs Peter by the shoulders to see his face. So gentle it seemed he thought Peter would break if he held him too strong. Peter didn’t want to be treated like he was made of glass, but honestly, he felt like it was true. 

“A shiner on his right eye.” Tony begins to list off, his voice sounding more harsh with every syllable.

Just as gentle as he had his shoulders he grabbed Peter’s left arm. Peter couldn’t stop the cry that escaped him. He senses Tony tense even more. Peter turn his head when he cried in an attempt to stop it but the venom in Tony’s arm would be heard from miles away.

“That better not be broken.” It wasn’t directed at Peter, it was directed at Jason. It was a threat.

It finally hits Peter that he’s never seen him like this. He’s seen Tony mad, the incident with the ferry had him go angry, but this was _fury_.

Tony lifted Peter’s shirt and sweater. Peter turned his head back to inspect it himself too. They both saw there was a bruise forming. Tony continued listing injuries.

“A kick to the stomach. And-” Tony stopped in his tracks, frozen. “Is that blood?” He hissed.

Peter looks up at Tony. The man is staring intently at his right cheek. Peter self-conscious takes his hand and wipes his mouth, feeling something wet. When the hand returns to his vision he sees the blood he felt. Peter looks up from his hand to Tony in surprise. Peter realizes that wasn’t the best idea when Tony’s assessing and gentle gaze turns to iron before his head snaps back to Jason.

“The best you can get is getting expelled for fighting another student.” Tony turns to Principal Morita. “I want him expelled. And his two friends two.”

“Mr. Stark you need to calm down right now. I’m sure this has a solution we don’t need to be so extreme. We’ll call the boy’s parent’s and-”

“No.” Tony cut. Peter didn’t understand how Principal Morita was able to look so calm, he could still speak when everyone around him was completely silent in fear of Tony Stark. “I’m not talking to the idiots that raised him. If you don’t expel him _I_ will press charges”

By now Tony was in front of Peter, standing between him and Principal Morita, who behind were hiding Jason and his friends. Principal Morita stopped, his eyes and mouth wide open. He clearly wasn’t expecting that in a million years. Tony hadn’t won deals by letting others compose themselves, he continued. Each sentence a blow.

“He’s a senior, clearly already eighteen. I’ll have him trialed as an adult for assaulting a minor. I’ll blacklist him from any school in the country worth going to. I’ll ensure he never gets a job with anyone making business with Stark Industries, anyone even remotely thinking about it and so many others he’ll be grateful he gets a job as a janitor in OsCorp. When I’m done with him he’ll have wished he had never even attended Midtown.”

Tony never took a single breath, every word he said made his resolve and voice stronger. They weren’t vague threats, they were promises.

Principal Morita seems to regain his voice and shake himself out of his stupor, hurriedly asking.

“Mr. Stark, let’s not blow this out of proportion. We should discuss. Let’s calm down and go to my office-”

Instead of placating him, the words made Tony’s blood boil.

“Oh, no. Let’s not blow this out of proportion. Let’s call it what it is. How about child endangerment? There’s clearly physical abuse here, and let’s not forget neglect. Because clearly this isn’t the first time this guy beats another student, is it? That’s why you asked him first. And he’s still here, he’s still doing it, putting all the students at risk. Clearly you have a rule against fighting, which is probably similar to the one you have against _bullying_ too.” Tony’s head tips a little forward, a different tone to the last sentence. Yet, he doesn’t let more than a few seconds go by before continuing.

“What happens when it goes beyond a fight? What happens when someone gets seriously injured? What happens when a simple detention doesn’t fix what he broke?” Tony knows he’s practically shouting, but he doesn’t care. All he can think is that day on the ferry, the night when Peter fell into the lake. This isn’t like those times where he goes in to rescue him and gets him to May.

There’s blood rushing through his ears making it hard to hear around him. The small voice behind him sounds like it’s amplified though.

“Mr. Stark?” Tony whips around, the kid looks scared, he’s trembling. Tony thinks he’s done it. He ruined it, but Peter tries again. “Tony?”

Peter’s voice is asking if he’s okay. And almost all the fight leaves Tony’s body, he got so worked up, so focus on the past and the future he forgot for a second where he was. The kid is trembling, he needs medical attention, that’s the reason he’s here in the first place. Now he needs more. This isn’t done by far, but Peter is and he’s gonna take him home.

Tony steps towards Peter letting his shoulders relax a little. He smiles tightly at the nurse and takes Peter by his shoulders, draping one arm across his back. The kid leans on him, most of his weight supported by Tony. They take three steps before Tony stops them. His voice leaving no room for argument.

“I want him gone. That’s the last thing I will say. It’s your choice.” Tony turns his head to the principal “If you don’t do it, I will.”

And with that, he guides Peter through the almost deserted halls. Some kids stare and point, whispering between themselves, but none near them. There will be rumors heard that Tony Stark was at the school. The staff denies it completely, administration, the principal, some teachers. No one can prove that he was or wasn’t. Some people claim he came because one of the students was a bad guy, others that Stark’s illegitimate child goes to their school, a few tried to connect between him and the kid that came in the expensive car, one said he came to fight a kid.

In time they’ll become whispers and probably a legend that Tony Stark roamed the halls of Midtown High in search of one kid. Iron Man came and left. Most will have no idea what really happened, but those few who do never cross a sophomore with brown curls and eyes unless they want the wrath of Iron Man sent upon them.

They maneuver the halls and make it to the parking lot where the Audi is clearly visible from the door. Getting to the car Tony opens the passenger door and moves the papers on it to the back. He helps Peter in through the passenger door, careful of his injuries. He rounds the car and enters through the driver’s side. Tony sighs and turns to Peter.

“How are you feeling?”

Peter briefly looks his way before analyzing his hands. He assesses the question and decides to speak truthfully, he’s been working on telling Tony how he really feels.

“My stomach doesn’t hurt that much anymore.”

Tony looks him up and down, not satisfied with the answer. Before he can say anything Peter talks.

“I didn’t know you would be picking me up.”

Tony isn’t sure if the kid is accusing him or just wondering. But either way Tony hurries to explain trying to sound casual.

“Well I guess Happy is your first emergency contact and I’m second but it’s more for your safety than that I’m really busy most of the time. I wasn’t when they called me but if I had been I still would have come. It’s also harder because I have to go get the Principal because we don’t want many people knowing about this or the press will get wind of it and they won’t leave you alone-”

“You’re my second emergency contact?” Peter seems confused. “I thought it was Happy. May has-”

Peter couldn’t bring himself finish that sentence. And Tony finally catches up, why Peter hadn’t been expecting him at all to come.

“Pepper told me to change the emergency contact weeks ago. She revised some of the paperwork I had about your school, the guardianship, your documents and pointed out that May was still your guardian and emergency contact at school, it had to be changed. It's your safety, I can’t risk that.”

Tony sees Peter looking at his hands in silence. Tony doesn’t know if he stepped over a line or not. This is really hard. All the parenting books he’s read, articles, the therapist and even Pepper don’t tell him how to act at every moment, he really doesn’t want to screw this up.

The silence stretches for a little bit when Peter turns his head slowly to him and smiles. It’s the first time in the day that he’s seen the kid smile and he’s just so glad for it, it makes him smile too.

“Thanks.” Peter says.

Tony nods and shifts to start the engine.

“Alright, seatbelt on because babies always have to use it. Maybe we should get you a car seat, you’re so small.” Tony teases. Peter rolls his eyes.

“I’m not small.”

Tony drives the car out of the parking lot and into New York traffic. Peter doesn’t mention the threats the Tony threw at Jason and Principal Morita, he figures after they clean his injuries they can discuss that. Which brings him to ask.

“So, eh, where are we going?”

“To the Compound.” Tony replies without taking his eyes off the road.

Peter turns his head to Tony, confusion all over his face.

“But I have school tomorrow.”

Tony turns to Peter briefly with a face that says: _are you kidding me? You really think you’re doing that?_

“Yeah, I don’t think so. You’ve earned a few days off. Besides I want a full scan of you, a few tests too. The fact that I got called in because you were feeling sick isn't sitting well with me. I thought you couldn’t get sick.” It’s not a question but it still feels like one so Peter answers it.

“I don’t. At least not since the bite.”

Tony hums, nodding his head.

“That’s what I thought. Alright then, we’ll figure out what’s wrong and fix it. Maybe it’s just a case of the spider flu.” Tony jokes.

“There’s no such thing.” Peter retorts with a smile and a small laugh.

“Oh, there is. It attacks young Spiderlings and makes them say delirious things like thinking they have to go to school after their stomach hurts, it lives off of making them believe it’s not real.”

Peter just laughs, Tony smirks. Tony lets Peter look to the streets for the moment. He knows this talk is far from over but he prefers to continue it at the Compound.

The ride through the city is peaceful, at least inside the car. Outside, the city is bursting with energy and adrenaline. It’s when they’re on the outskirts of it that Tony notices the way Peter is curled in on himself. At what point had he made himself so small? He’d been keeping an eye on him.

“Peter? Are you okay, buddy?”

Tony doesn’t want to scare the kid, but his voice is a little frantic seen the way he is holding himself close. Peter, for his part, doesn’t actually jump out of his skin but just looks to Tony with a startled expression, his mouth opened slightly.

“Oh, yeah. I’m alright.” Peter hurriedly responds. Uncurling himself to sit a bit straighter.

Tony sees right through him. Tony isn’t sure how the kid has managed to keep his identity a secret this long, he’s a bad liar. Maybe it’s just that Tony knows him too well by this point or just an instinct, but he just knows.

“Try again.” Tony commands.

Tony can see the kid’s mind racing a mile a minute, glancing around. It finally lands on Tony and it takes only some seconds before his resolve crumbles. Tony feels relief surging through his veins.

“You did ask if I was okay though. If you won’t believe me maybe not ask next time.” Peter says it as a joke, he needs it to be before he starts rambling. But Tony doesn’t even flinch at his tone. Peter sighs and finally concedes. “Well, my stomach hurts more on the outside than in and my cheek still stings.”

Tony purses his lips. His mind is already going through all the possible things that will happen to the guy if Tony ever sees him again. He will send someone to school tomorrow to ensure he got expelled. A small, dark part of him wishes they don’t do it so he carries out all the threats he threw at him and the principal.

Looking at Peter, Tony inspects him again. Seizing him up and down. He hasn’t changed in the time they’ve been here, and the bruise on his face is becoming purple. It only makes Tony more concerned.

“Anything else?” Tony ventures.

Peter again takes his time to think it through, he shifts in his seat taking in his sore muscles.

“My Spider-sense is no longer buzzing, just… alert. All my muscles feel like I just fought the Vulture again.” Peter smiles up at Tony.

The careless smile doesn’t make Tony feel better in any way. The mention of the Vulture sends a jab at Tony, yes, that guy. Tony at least doesn’t feel the need to call in a suit and fly the kid to the medical wing at the Compound, it doesn’t look as urgent as that, at least Tony hopes, he’s really trying to trust the kid on this one.

Tony takes another deep breath looking towards the road. The only reason Tony is still driving the car at this point is so he has something to do instead of just looking at an injured Peter an hour away from medical attention. Tony wishes he hadn’t sold the Tower, it would come in handy so much. Another thing to add to the list of necessities their new home at New York needs to have: a medical room; also find a balance between at least one doctor who’s ready 24/7 for Peter but who doesn’t live with them.

Tony wants to ask Peter about the day. How did it end up with him being shoved into lockers. That path seems like it will only anger him again however, and that is the last thing they want right now, he’s already shaking with anxiety. Before Tony can decide if he can’t wait to get to the Compound to find out Peter speaks up. 

“How’d you find me?” Peter wonders.

“Karen sent FRIDAY an alert that your phone had received damage. The likes of getting thrown against a wall. Karen sent me your location.”

Tony doesn’t mention how he almost got a heart attack as he was walking with the school nurse and the principal towards the cafeteria.

“Oh, well yeah I guess it did get thrown against a surface.” Peter remarks like it’s an everyday occurrence.

“Anything else?” Tony asks tersely. He’s really restraining himself.

Peter, on the other hand, was starting to feel like in an interrogation.

“Are you trying to get a confession out of me?”

“What? No, I want to know what happened to you.” Tony assures. Peter looks at him, which Tony returns. “And collect a list of assaults done to you.”

Peter glances to the side, hesitation and conflict evident on his face. Sometimes Tony thinks Peter is an open book.

“What you said… in the hallway... about getting the kid who pushed me expelled-”

“Oh, he’ll beg to get expelled if he knows what’s good for him.” Tony sneers, the soft tone he was using with Peter disappearing instantly. Out of the corner of his eye he can see Peter flip his head in his direction. Clearly in disagreement.

“But... it was just a fight. I don’t think it should really mean him getting expelled.” Peter tries, voice small, he doesn't want to argue with Tony about it.

Tony’s grip on the steering wheel becomes iron clad. They obviously have different standards for what was _just a fight_. Like when both sides are actually fighting. He knows he needs to calm down before he says something he’ll regret. Tony takes two breaths before answering, declaring in a softer tone.

“Just because you’re also Spider-Man and can take it does not mean someone should hit Peter Parker. And I won’t stand for it.” Tony knows the next comment will shift the conversation to his advantage. He might regret using this to corner Peter but not the result. “Nor someone bullying you.”

Peter freezes in his spot. He’s still breathing but it seems like his brain has short-circuited. A look of utter disbelief that morphs into denial. Tony doesn’t let him even try.

“Don’t even think about it, I know. I’ve let it slide and only made vague suggestions because it really wasn’t my place and I figured you would prefer to tell me instead of me finding out on my own. But I know. And it will stop. If you don’t tell one of your teachers or confront him about it yourself I will intervene. And it’ll probably end just a little prettier than Jason’s case.”

Peter realized there was no point in trying to deny it, his shoulders hunching. This definitely wasn’t how he wanted this conversation to go. Peter tries to diminish the situation again.

“It’s not that bad. He just says some dumb comment about me and that’s it.”

“Yeah, well he’s gonna stop doing that. I don’t care what he says, he will stop. I’m telling you now, if you want to do it in a peaceful way than you tell him to stop. Because when I step in I won’t have mercy on him.”

Tony was startled his such protectiveness. He knew he felt anything happening to the kid as Spider-Man was on him, but as Peter Parker it had been slow growing. Now that the kid was fully his responsibility Tony realized he’d been wrong about how he felt about him, he treated Peter more as his kid than a mentee, he had for months now. Peter Parker was his kid, and no matter what a paper declared or not, it was true.

Tony turned to Peter expectantly. Peter looked to him than the road. He was thinking things a lot before answering. In the end, Peter nodded and turned towards Tony.

“I’ll talk to him.”

“Great. See this communication thing isn’t so hard.” Tony affirmed.

Another silence stretches in the car, this time it’s more relaxed. Talking about unsaid things really helps a lot, even if Tony isn’t good at it or too eager either. Which brings Tony to what was going on before all this situation. It’s not easy now that he has the kid with him, but like everything else he pushes through his own fear and reluctance, this is for Peter. Tony decides to venture.

“I have a little surprise for you, I think it’ll make you feel better, at least I hope. Don’t burn it if you don’t like it, please. There are some documents in the back for you to see.”

Tony knows the first one is the certificate of adoption. It’s meant to reassure him. He knows it’s risky, he’s putting a lot on the line. Tony reminds himself what the therapist said, about it helping Peter feel secure, safe with him. Peter wasn’t going anywhere, he was permanent in Tony’s life now. Tony took a deep breath. _For Peter_.

There’s moving from the co-pilot’s seat, Peter slowly stretching to reach the documents behind him without hurting himself. From the corner of his eye, Tony can see the kid fully seated and reading the first document.

“It says here WHAT?!” Comes Peter’s surprised shout. He sounds… unsure, delighted, and… comforted. Tony smiles, his eyes water a little but it just some dust that got in his eyes.

Yes, things were dire right now, but they would get better. Tony won't let anything happen to Peter. He promises that. He promises on his life.


End file.
